Science and technology studies (STS) is an interdisciplinary approach to the study of science and technology (S&T) and their relationship with human beings and the societies, polities and cultures they inhabit. The course thus explores the central – if not determining – role of S&T in modern societies by providing a critical analysis of the philosophical, sociological, political, economic and ethical conditions and choices they confront us with.

This course aims to help students engage with the key theories and methodologies used in affect and sensory studies and critically assess whether—and how—these fields contribute to expanding and deepening existing scholarly knowledge.

This graduate-level seminar provides a comprehensive exploration of contemporary media and communication studies, emphasizing the intricate relationship between theory and practice in our rapidly evolving digital landscape. The course navigates key paradigms in media and cultural studies, from classic frameworks to cutting-edge concepts, equipping students with a robust theoretical foundation while encouraging critical engagement with real-world media phenomena. Through in-depth readings, lively discussions, and applied analysis, students will develop the critical thinking skills necessary to interrogate complex media texts, platforms, and practices using a range of theoretical approaches. By bridging the gap between abstract ideas and concrete media practices, the course prepares students to understand the historical development and current state of media and communication studies, apply theoretical frameworks to emerging technologies, and develop original research questions that contribute to the field. This seminar serves as a foundation for fostering the ability to engage in informed discussions about the role of media in shaping society, culture, and individual experiences. Students will emerge from the course well-equipped to analyze and interpret the complex media ecosystems that characterize our contemporary world, laying the groundwork for advanced research and analysis in the field.

This course will offer students a series of lectures on Asian history and international relations with the aim of providing a solid foundation in core topics and more recent scholarship in Asian Studies. This course is required by both M.A.S. and Ph.D. students in the ITASIA program (non-ITASIA students are also invited) and it aims to expand students’ knowledge beyond a few specialized countries or areas in Asia by providing a broader perspective on Asia as a whole. Another objective of the course is to offer a better understanding of Asian societies through the study of history. Students should complete the assigned reading assignments before the respective lectures (assigned readings are highlighted in italics below).

This course provides a critical and interdisciplinary overview of the major legal and political developments that have shaped - and continue to shape - Japanese society. Drawing on perspectives from political science, law, history, and sociology, the course emphasizes both top-down and bottom-up processes in Japanese governance. It focuses on how law operates within society, particularly through constitutional, criminal, and civil law. However, the aim is not to analyze these laws in isolation, but to explore how they function within the social fabric of Japan. Law is a fundamental aspect of everyday life in all societies: it provides predictability, helps avoid anarchy, and secures cooperation among members of society by prioritizing the common good over individual gain (law as a tool for stability in society). Law is also a tool for action when people or groups feel excluded, discriminated against, or believe they are being treated unjustly (law as a tool for social change). This course examines the central features of Japan's legal system, viewing law as a social institution and exploring its relationship with other societal systems. We will focus on the role of key actors in the legal system and the interplay between social stability, and change. Additionally, the course emphasizes the relationship between law and broader economic, political, and social processes. From the perspective of the sociology of law (or socio-legal studies), we will examine how law serves as both a practical resource for addressing social issues (a tool for change) and a set of shared representations and aspirations (for stability). The course will explore how legal professionals (lawyers, judges, law enforcement officers) and ordinary citizens mobilize and use law. Due to time constraints, we cannot cover every aspect of Japan’s legal system or every actor involved. Instead, we will focus on key topics that illustrate the situational and systemic demands placed on actors within the legal system. At the same time, we will seek to identify patterns in how law interacts with and influences society. Some of the topics we will address include Japan’s exceptional record in economic development, crime control, and its low litigation rate. These topics exemplify why Japan's legal system is so efficient; not only by examining how it functions today, but also by tracing its historical roots and understanding why it evolved in this way. We will also address topics such as the death penalty, wrongful convictions, same-sex marriage, and other areas of social activism where law is used to drive social change. These topics reflect the "reverse side of the coin," where law may not function effectively, and social activism seeks to change the situation. In sum, we will analyze the actual evolution of the rule of law in both the past and present, with an eye on the future of Japan and its place in a globalizing world. Therefore, this course combines methodologies from the sociology of law and legal history. We will also critically assess the limitations of law in Japan, asking which social issues remain unresolved by the legal system. Is Japan’s legal system an example for other countries to follow, or not? Ultimately, the goal is to critically examine both the merits and flaws of Japan's legal system in an informed and balanced manner. By studying how conflicts are resolved, how social order is maintained, how movements for social change emerge, and how legal frameworks operate within Japan’s socio-political context, students will develop a comprehensive understanding of Japan’s legal system from the Meiji era (1868–1945) to the present day. Each class will begin with a methodological introduction, providing students with tools from the sociology of law, followed by the analysis of primary materials (e.g., court decisions, political speeches, legislative texts, personal diaries) and secondary readings that offer academic context.

This class explores the diverse methodologies and ethical considerations essential for conducting research in the social sciences. The course covers a wide range of topics, including textual and systematic content analysis, qualitative survey design, media ethnography, and research ethics. Students will explore the intricacies of digital databases, media archives, and the basics of web scraping. Advanced techniques in web scraping and social media analytics will be discussed, with particular attention to sentiment analysis and data visualization. The course emphasizes the ethical dimensions of research, ensuring that students are well-equipped to conduct their studies responsibly and effectively. Through a series of lectures and practical workshops, students will gain a thorough understanding of contemporary research methods and their application in the study of information, technology, and society in Asia.

This lecture series provides an overview of what the academic genre of ethnography has achieved over the past century or so. Although ethnographic monographs have also been written by scholars of various disciplines, this lecture series focuses on sociocultural anthropologists’ endeavors. Rather than discussing the possibilities and limitations of ethnography abstractly, the aim of this course is to provide a perspective on what an ethnography have (and have not) accomplished, by discussing critically two or three ethnographic monographs, many but not all of which are in the context of Asia, each time, both locating them in academic and social contexts of the time and and relating them to various ongoing debates.

This is a course on visual culture in the 20th and 21st century, with a particular focus on the interplay between media technology, culture and society. This course will also be multidisciplinary in nature, as we reflect on our discursive assumptions in the historical, sociological, anthropological, philosophical disciplines among others. While the readings may primarily cover phenomenon in the United States, participants will be strongly encouraged to think of the specificity of the impact of globalization on media and society in various regions of the world including Japan. The course objectives are the following: -Gain a better understanding of the relationships between society, media, people, institutions and how they function as agents of maintaining the status quo or for fostering change -Learn about the transformative faculties and social implications of quotidian applications of technology -Gain deeper understanding of the academic disciplines Topics will include (but are not limited to): -representation of race, ethnicity and gender and other minorities -regional, transnational and international ecosystems of information technology -artificial intelligence and algorithmic bias -technological advancement and implementation in everyday life and the powers at play

In this seminar we practice foundational ways of thinking about the complex relationship between digital technology and society, with a focus on recent developments in software such as AI and automated decision-making and their underlying technical infrastructures. How do artificial intelligence and the pervasive use of algorithms affect culture and society? How is the need for rare earths to drive chip production connected to geopolitical shifts and conflicts? The seminar combines readings of recent studies in software studies and science and technology studies with hands-on exercises.

情報科学技術が作り出した情報社会の現状とそのあり得るべき姿、情報科学技術の発展の方向性などについて、様々な観点から学び考える。具体的には、以下のようなテーマを扱う。 情報倫理 技術者倫理・技術倫理 人工知能倫理・シンギュラリティ メディアリテラシー ソーシャルメディア 個人情報保護・パーソナルデータ 特許 著作権 行動科学 情報教育 ------ We learn and think about the current state of the information society created by information science and technology, its possible forms, and the direction of development of information science and technology from various perspectives. Specifically, the following themes will be covered. Information Ethics Ethics of engineers and technology Artificial intelligence ethics and singularity Media literacy Social Media Privacy and Personal Data Patents Copyright Behavioral Science Information Education